Call for Submissions: Best Women’s Erotica 2014

It’s time… Best Women’s Erotica 2013 is on shelves both virtual and actual, and I’m delighted to see it has glowing 5-star reviews. My new book Voracious just came out, too! So starting right now, I’m looking for the best erotic short stories written by women for the 2014 edition of the leading series for explicit women’s lit: Best Women’s Erotica 2014.

I’ll update this post with a link to the official listing on Erotica Readers and Writers Association. It’s a tight deadline, and this is the open call. Please read the entire specs in this post; a few things are different from past years – and this will actually be my last Best Women’s Erotica. (I need a break, and I think the form factor needs a reinvention…)

But I’m so excited to put this one together! Tell all your writer friends, send me your hottest erotica…

Or – tell me about a super arousing short you’ve read (or written and have permission to allow a reprint) in a collection within the past year. I will consider it for the book, which is an unusual break from tradition; I really want the best of the best for this one.

Please note: Publisher has final right of refusal on all submissions. Payment is upon publication, plus 2 copies of the book; pub date is November 2013.

Best Women’s Erotica is a legendary and groundbreaking yearly series, and it is the best-selling women’s erotica collection, period. Every year BWE raises the bar for explicit erotica written by and for women, penned by the most exciting female authors, from around the world.

This edition (BWE 2014) is selected and edited by Violet Blue (tinynibbles.com, about.me/violetblue, @violetblue). In this edition, we are looking for fictional stories that seek to push the boundaries of female sexuality, present realistic fantasies and situations, and break taboos. The sex acts depicted must be explicit and must be realistic in detail.

A strong focus on character, predicament, and compelling situations is desired – smart, literate erotic fiction. The desired orientation within the main sexual element of the stories is primarily heterosexual, yet bisexuality and lesbian encounters are welcome and encouraged. The primary focus of sexual activity must be on the female experience; female pleasure is the main element. A playful, clever approach is welcome, as are intense scenarios.

The BWE editions 2006 – 2013 edited by Violet Blue have won awards, and are very different from other women’s erotica books – please read a few stories from any of those years of Best Women’s Erotica or the introductions for examples of tone. The easiest way to do this is to read free chapters from Best Women’s Erotica on Amazon.com.

What not to send: Dark themes (such as breakup, jealousy, infidelity and death) must be exceptional in content for acceptance and are *least* desired. Do not send sci-fi, poetry, slash or fantasy fiction.

Paste your story submissions into emails and send to: cleisbook at gmail.com

Rules: If you send an attachment, I will delete your email immediately. I am not accepting paper submissions. Only three submissions per author. Word count: 2500 to 4500 words is the desired range. No simultaneous submissions (you will be disqualified with no hesitation if you submit the story to multiple publications). Reprints that you have rights to use and excerpts from already-published, full-length books will be considered.

Required: You must include your name (and pseudonym if you are using one), a short 150-word bio, mailing address and main contact email address with your submission. Payments are made by check or PayPal only; state your preference when you send me your stories.

Authors must be female; sorry, no male authors writing under pseudonyms allowed (female transgender authors are warmly welcome here). Please don’t hassle me about not allowing male authors: this is the format of the “Best Women’s” series, and the series belongs to Cleis Press.

Because of the volume of submissions every year (literally hundreds!) I probably won’t be able to respond to your submissions until August.

Please only use the cleisbook at gmail.com address for correspondence about this book. Emailing me at a different address, Tweeting or Facebook messages will get lost.

Best Women’s Erotica 2013 is incredible. I got to work with some truly amazing authors (and enjoyed publishing a few newcomers for their first time). BWE authors become part of my network of colleagues, and I invariably involve authors in extra publicity about the book and other book projects. Do understand that I get a lot of stories, and I do read each and every one. If you email and demand a confirmation email, you may not get one simply due to the volume of submissions I’m trying to get through. I appreciate your patience in advance!

The London Times named Violet Blue "One of the 40 bloggers who really count" and Self Magazine named TinyNibbles one of the “Best Sex Resources for Women.” Blue is an author and journalist on sex and technology, hacking and security, porn for women, privacy and bleeding-edge tech culture. She is a columnist for Engadget; she's an educator, speaker, crisis counselor, volunteer NGO trainer, and the author and editor of over 40 award-winning books. Blue is also an advisor for Without My Consent, as well as a member of the Internet Press Guild.

My apologies in advance as I’m sure this would have been asked before (just not by me). Also, please be aware the following are genuine questions, not challenges (it’s so difficult to convey tone without using voice or gestures!) As a male author of erotica I wonder what the particular appeal is to women of erotica written by women. And conversely what might steer women away from trying erotica written by men?

Obviously editors can make whatever submission rules they want, but it seems a bit odd to place arbitrary restricting based on setting… Is there an equivalent work for people who want magic or cybernetics in their female erotica? Most of the people I know would be far more interested in submitting for inclusion in and/or buying that book…